Refrigerator



Sept. 1, 1925. 1,551,879

R. o. HOFFMAN REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. 2 1924 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 JESSE-S INVENTOR Razzfl ATTORNEYS Sept 1, 1925. 1,551,879

R. o. HOFFMAN REFRIGERATOR Filed Sept. 27, 1924 2 Shun-Shut 2 0 o a: o

wrrN E5 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT OGDEN HOFFMAN, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DR. R. A. BROWN, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

REFRIGERATOR.

Application filed September 27, 1924. Serial No. 740,351.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT O. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pensacola, in the county of Escambia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators, and it consists in the combina tions, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of theinvention is to provide a refrigerator which affords facilities for supporting a relatively great number of articles in a refrigerator of agiven size so that all the articles will be cooled and the several articles can be removed selectively from the refrigerator quickly and easily without the remaining articles being disturbed during the removal of any one of the articles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator of the character described which is adapted to effect an economy in the use of refrigerant for coo-ling a given number of articles, in that the liquid dripping from ice within an ice receiving compartment of the refrigerator is subsequently employed to cool other articles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator having a. rotary cooling carrier for supporting a plurality of articles of the same description or of different descriptions in separated positions and in position to be removed selectively through a single opening when the rotary carrier is rotated in a desired manner. the refrigerator having indicator means whereby the position of any one of the different articles on the carrier with respect to the opening will be indicated.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a refrigerator embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the refrigerator,

Figure 3 is a vertical central section through the refrigerator, and

Figure ii: is: a face view of a label holder which is associated with the refrigerator.

The refrigerator has a casing which comprises a lower section designated generally at l. and an upper section indicated gen orally at 2. The lower section preferably is circular in cross or horizontal sectional contour, and comprises a. bottom 3, a vertically disposed cylindrical body 4, and a top which consists of an imperforate. marginal portion 5 which surrounds aportion which is perforate, as by being formed of spaced apart bars or slats 6. The bottom 3 and the body l of the lower section have spaced apart inner and outer walls as shown, between which a suitable heat insulating material, such as cork or the like, and as indicated at 7, is disposed.

The lower section of the refrigerator casing supported in spaced relation to a. floor 8 or like flat supporting surface by any suitable support, such as the vertically disposed annular supporting member 9 having cut-away portions at its lower end as indicated at 10, thus defining legs between the cut-away portions. The bottom 3 of the lower section of the refrigerator rests upon the upper end of the supporting member 9.

The upper section of the refrigerator casing comprises a vertically disposed body 11 which is closed at its upper end by a top 12 and rests at its lower end upon the marginal portion 5 of the top of the lower section so that the center of the top 12 will be disposed directly above the center of the lower section 1 and the space within the upper section 2 will be covered at its lower end by the perforate portion of the top of the lower section. In other words, the bars or slats G extend across the space within the upper section 2 at the lower end of the latter, but terminate short of the walls of the body of the upper sect-ion so that the body of the upper section may be in fluid tight contact at its lower end with the marginal portion of the top of the lower section inwardly of the outer edge of the latter.

The body of the upper section may be secured to the marginal portion 5 of the top of the lower section by strips of molding, as indicated. at 13 or like means. The body of the upper section preferably is square in cross sectional contour, although it may have any other desirable configuration, and is of less area in cross section than the body of the lower section. The body of the upper section and the top 12 are formed with spaced apart inner and outer walls between which a layer of insulation as at 14:, is placed.

A tubular shaft 15 extends through alined central openings in the bottom 3 of the lower section and the top 14- of the upper section aswell as between adjacent bars 6 of the top of the lower section. The walls of the openings in the bottom Sand the top 1 through which the hollow shaft 15 extends are'enlar ed at their inn r ends for the re ception of ball race members 16 which hold ball bearings 17 in rolling contact with the periphery of the tubular shaft 15 so that the latter can be rotated anti-frictionally about its longitudinal axis. A retaining; ring 18 which surrounds the tubular shaft 15 is secured to the inner wall of the bottom 8 in position to prevent displacement of the ball race member in the central opening of the bottom A is secured against the inner wall of the top 14 for retaining;- the upper ball race member in place. 'lhe tubular shaft 15 extends at its lower end b low the bottom 8 and at upper end above the top 1 1:. A stop collar 20 on the tubular shaft above the top 1% is in contact. with. the latter holds the tubular shaft 15 against axial movement downward from the position best seen in Figure.

A carrier for supporting articles within the lower section of the refrigerator casing:

is secured to the tubular shaft 15 to rotate with the latter. This carrier is in the form of a pan or tray having an nnperforate c1?."

.cular bottom 21. provided with a central opening through which the tubular shaft extendd the wall of the central opening of the bottom 21 and the tubular shaft. being secured together to provide a fluid-tight joint therebetween, and that the bottom 21 will rotate with the tubular shaft. The bottom 21 is circular in configuration and is of slightly less diameter than th body l.- of the lower section of the rectangular casing. A cylindrical body 22 which also is imporforate extends upwardly from the marginal edge of the bottom 21 nearly to the level. of the top of the lower section of the refrigerator casing. The cylindrical body 22 may be integral. with the bottom 21. it will be manifest that the carrier 2122 is adapted to hold a liquid and that vessels such the bottles indicated at 23 and. 21- may have similar retain ing' ring 19 the major portions thereof sub-merged in a cooling liquid in the carrier. The space within the carrier is divided into a plurality of compartments by means of radial partitions 26, each of which is provided with openings as at 27 so that. liquid falling into any one of the compartments.will pass to the remaining compartment after reaching a certain level in said one con'ipartment. If desired, practically all of the liquid within the carrier may be drained therefrom through a drain opening 28 which establishes communication between the interior of one of the compartments of the carrier and the bore of the hollow shaft 15 the drain opening 28 being located nearly at the level the lower end of the space within the carrier. A plug; 29 normally closes the drain opening 28. A. drip cup 30 has inwardiy ei-ztending lugs 31 at its rim adapted to be hooked over outwardly extending lugs on tie lower end of the tubular shaftlo, whereby liquid passing downwardly through the tubular shaft 15 will fill the drip cup and provide a seal for preventirg air from passing; through the shaft 15 into the interior of the refrigerator through the drain opening 28 when the plup; 29 has been removed and at the same time, will not prevent continuous flow of the drain liquid through the tubular shaft 15. and the drip cup 30 to suitable receptacle, not shown, which may be placed underneath the drip cup.

The portion of the top of the lower section that is located at the front of the refrigerator outwardly of the body of the upper section is provided with an opening which is closed normally by a swinging door 333 as shown in Figure 1, and which is located directly above one of the compartments of the carrier 21--22. it will. be apparent that the carrier may be rotated to position the. sei-eral compartments underneath the opening in the top of the lower section selectively so that a bottle or other article an be ren'ioved from any one of the compartments withoutdisturbing the articlcs wit 1111 the remaining compartments.

An indicator and operating; wheel 34 is secured ren'iovably, if desired, as at 35, to the tubular shaft 15 at the upper end of the latter. The wheel 3 1 is provided with spaced apart outwardly extending handle members which correspond in number and arrangen'ient with the partitions 26 of the carrier each of the handle members 36 being located directly above and in the plane of the corresponding partition 26. The segme tal portion of the rim of the wheel which extends between each two adjacent h a die meml'iers 36 therefore will lie directly above a particular coniipartment of the carrier. and may be provided with a label holder such as that indicated at 37, and as best seen in Figure 4, the respective label holders supporting labels which bear the names of the articles within the corresponding compartments of the carrier at any given time. F or example, liquid commodlties of various kinds may be positioned in the compartments of the carrier and the name of each liquid connnodity which is supported by the carrier will appear in the label holder or the segmental portion of the rim of the wheel that is located directly above the particular compartment of the carrier in which that particular liquid commodity is supported.

A pair of spaced apart index marks 38 are provided on the top of the upper section of the refrigerator casing for cooperating with adjacent handle members 36 to indicate when such handle members respectively are in substantial alinement with the side walls of the opening in the front portion of the top of the lower section of the casing. Therefore, the wheel 3-1 may be turned, as desired to position any particular compartn'ient of the carrier underneath the opening in the front portion of the top of the lower sedion so that any particular liquid commodity can be removed conveniently and quickly without disturbing any of the remaining articles which are supported by the carrier.

The level of the cooling liquid within the carrier may be kept nearly constant through the agency of overflow tubes 39. An overflow tube 39 is provided for each compartment of the carrier and which has a form of a substantially U-shaped member arranged with a relatively long arm thereof depending within a compartment of the carrier, the bent. portion of the overflow member extending through an opening in the walls of the tubular shaft 15 above the level of the liquid within the carrier, and the shorter arm of the overflow member depending within the bore of the tubular shaft.

The front wall of the body 01 the upper section 2 is provided with a relatively large opening normally closed by a swing-able door 4-0 and allording access to vertically spaced shelves 41 within an approximate halt portion of the body of the upper section. A second opening through the front wall of the body of the upper section is normally closed by a door 42 and permits access to the remaining half portion of the space within the body of the upper section so that a block of ice L3 or like refrigerant may be placed therewithin to rest upon the bars 6.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. The block of ice 43 or like refrigerant within part of the body of the upper section serves as a means for cooling the articles which may be disposed upon the shelves 41 in the remaining part of the body of the upper section. The relatively cool liquid dripping from the block of ice 43 will fall through the spaces between the bars 6 into the rotary carrier 21-22 and will provide the cooling body of liquid in the latter. The presence of the cooling body of liquid in the carrier will aid in cooling the air which may pass through all parts of the space within the refrigerator at a relatively low ten'iperature.

A circular track member 41st is secured upon the bottom 3 of the lower section of the casing and rollers 45 carried by the bottom of the carrier rest upon said track member and are in rolling contact there-with so that the carrier may have relatively easy rotative movement.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. In a refrigerator, a casing comprising a lower section, an upper section superposed upon the lower section, said lower section being closed at its lower end and being providcd at its upper end with a horizontal series of spaced apart slats serving as a bottom for the upper section, a rotary carrier supported within the lower section for rotation about the vertical axis of the casing, said carrier being adapted to hold cooling liquid, and means operable exteriorly of the casing for rotating said carrier.

In a refrigerator, a casing having a norm: lly closed lateral outlet, a vertical shaft extending through said casing centrall v thereof, a rotary carrier comprising a bottom having a central opening through which said tubular shalt extends, and to which said tubular shaft is secured. said carrier including an upstanding marginal body member and a plurality of radial partitions dividing the space in such carrier into a plurality of compartments, said outlet being located above the level of said carrier, the joint between the bottom of the carrier and the tubular shai't being fluid tight and said carrier thus being adapted to hold a cooling liquid, and an overflow pipe leading from the interior of one of said compartments through an opening in the walls of said hollow shaft into the bore of the latter.

3. In a refrigerator, a casing having a normally closed lateral outlet, a vertical shai't extending through said casing centrally thereof, a rotary carrier comprising a bottom having a central opening through which said tubular shaft extends, and to which said tubular shaft is secured, said carrier including an upstanding marginal body member and plurality of radial partitions dividing the space in such carrier into a plurality ofcompartments, said outlet being located above the level of said carrier, the joint between the bottom of the carrier and the tubular shaft being fluid tight and said carrier thus being; adapted to hold a cooling liquid, and an overflow pipe leading from the interior of one of said compartments through an opening in the walls of said hollow shaft into the bore of the latter, said tubular shaft being provided with a drain opening for one of said compartments at about the level of the lower end of the carrier, said drain opening being norn'ially closed.

In a ref igerator, a casing; comprising; a lower section of circular configuration in cross sectional contour, said lower section including; a top, said top comprising a substantially in'ip'erforate marginal portion and being perforate inwardly of said marginal portion, an upper se *tion superposed upon said lower section of the casing and restingat its lowerend upon said imperforafe marginal portion of the top of the lower section, the space within the lower section being in communication with the space within the upper section through the apertures in the top of the lower section, said imperforate portion of the top of the lower section having a normally closed opening, said upper section having' a normally closed lateral opening through which a block of ice may be placed within the upper section to rest upon the apertured portion of the top of the lower section, a Vertical shaft c7:-

, tending through said casing),' centrally there of and being rotatable about the rertica axis of the casing, a carrier surrouiulingr the portion of the'sliaft within said lower section and having: the outer edge portion thereof adapted to pass urulernealn the outlet in the imperforate portion of the topof the lower section as said carrier rotated, and an operating; wheel secured on the upper end portion of said shaft.

5. In a refrigerator, a. casing comprising a lower section of circular configuration in cross sectional contour, said lower section includinga top, said top connprising asubstantially imperforate marginal portion and being perforate inwardly of said marginal opening through which a block of ice may be placed within. the upper section to rest upon the apertured portion of the top of the lowersection, a vertical shaft extending through said casing centrally thereof, and being rotatable about the vertical axis of the casing, a carrier surrounding the portion of the shaft within said lower section and havi 11g the outer edge portion thereof adapted to pass underneath the outlet in the imperforate portion of the top of the lower section as said carrier is rotated, and an operating wheel secured on the upper end portion of said shaft, radial partitions dividin g said carrier into a. plurality of compartments, handle members extending radially outward from the rim of said wheel and corresponding in numher and position with the partitions of said carrier, and means for supporting" labels between each two adjacent handle nienihers.

6. in a refrig r ter, a casing comprising a lower sect-ion of circular configuration in cross sectional contour, said lower section including a top, said top comprising a sub stantially im perforate D'lfll'glllill portion and being perforate inwardly of said mai iial portion, an upper section superposed upon said lower section of the casing and resting at its lower end upon said imperforate marginal portion of the top of the lower section, the space within the lower section being in comn'iunication with the space within the upper section through the apertures in the top of the lower section said imperf-oratc portion of the top of the lower section having a normally closed opening, said upper section having a normally closed lateral opening through which a block of ice. may be placed within the upper section to rest upon the apertured portion of the top of the lower section, a vertical shaft extending through said casing centrally thereof, and :eing rotatable about the Vertical axis of the casing, a carrier surrouiuling the portion of the shaft within said lower section and having the outer ed portion thereof adapted to pass underneath the outlet in the imperforate portion of the top of the lower section as said carrier is rotated, an operating; wheel secured on the upper end portion of said shaft, radial partitions dividing said carrier into a plurality of compartments, handle members extending radially outward from the rim ofsaid wheel and corresponding in number and position with the partitions of said carrier, and means for supporting labels between each two adjacent handle members, said upper section having index marks on the top thereof for cooperating with each set, of two adjacent handle members to indicate the positions of the respective compartments of the carrier in respect to the outlet in the imperforate portion of the top of the lower section.

7. In a refrigerator, a casing having a normally closed lateral outlet, avertical shai't extending through said casing centrally thereof, a rotary carrier supported within the casing on said shaft to rotate about the axis of the shaft, a plurality of radial partitions dividing said carrier into a plurality of compartments handle momhers extending radially outward from the upper end of said shaft, and corresponding in number and position with the partitions of said carrier, and means between each two adjacent handles for supporting indieia for indicating the article within the corresponding compartment of the refrigerator.

ROBERT OGDEN HOFFMAN. 

